Think of the various MBA colleges in India; how many of them feature in your top 10 list? Not many, because when you search about different MBA schools, you will probably find a handful which have made it to the top 10 list. And when you search this list, it is the rankings from a reliable survey like that of Times of India which will come to your aid.

Remember there are several advantages of doing MBA from a good B school. You are going to go for a brand name which will be part of your resume for the rest of your life. You are going to meet some of the most talented people of your generation, best professors, the learnings of whom you will hold on as you progress in your career. Among all the other advantages, you get a good head start in your career. With a good placement, the subsequent career progression will also be pretty smooth.

Take a look at the list of MBA colleges in Kolkata and if you observe closely you will find that the placement history of B schools with good rankings is pretty impressive. You will get information of highest, lowest and median packages offered in various companies which have visited the campus, the industry patronage which a particular institute enjoys.

It is a known fact that top employers will always look forward to recruit MBAs from the only the top-rated schools. They have a list of MBA colleges in Kolkata which rank well. Rankings with high credibility also help lower-ranked schools to recognize the weaknesses in their programs, improve facilities and also compete with schools with better ranking.

If you are looking for a smooth career, invest your time in finding the right B school which has a good record of placements. It is imperative that the school has a good ranking as a good B school not only secures your placement, but also gives you the opportunity to be all-rounder.

A lot of MBA aspirants in Kolkata browse through B school rankings because choosing the best business school seems to be a tricky task and rankings are a lifesaver. Combine the ranking with a good program and you can really benefit from such a degree. Among the different reasons for which the rankings have become so popular is the relative ease with which the prospective students have been able to narrow their initial conditions for MBA applications. The key is to understand how to interpret the rankings and conduct one’s own research before you come to a decision. If you are searching for the best management college in Kolkata, you need to think about some of the benefits of ranking.

Use ranking for shortlisting the colleges

When you are going through the list of top MBA colleges in Kolkata, they first have to draft the MBA applications which is a time-consuming and expensive affair. With an MBA ranking, you have a higher-level view of different MBA programs. MBA ranking helps you in the initial phase of research which offers a somewhat fixed baseline for comparing schools. And once you have a baseline, you can get a deeper insight into different schools which can be gained by further research.

Get a notion about employer perceptions

Certain rankings such as Times School Survey definitely carry weight. There will be several lists for top 10 MBA colleges in Kolkata, but with a Times of India B School Survey, you will be ensured that you have the correct information. Students often use this information to evaluate a particular program. Also, it is important to note the consistency of rankings; remember an average ranking over time is much better than a year-to-year fluctuation. Pay closer attention to general MBA trends.

Does the ranking align to your preference?

If you are planning to get specialization in finance, then there is no point searching for a school which has a good ranking in HR programs. Try to understand the industry-specific rankings to understand employer perceptions of particular programs. Different management colleges in Kolkata have different areas of expertise. And one has to remember that rankings vary by industry. It is imperative that you are also attentive to how schools feature in industry-specific rankings as well. Employers also note these specialization rankings and will very likely find new employees from schools which specialize in relevant areas.

Rankings are determined by a lot of factors

When you want to pursue MBA in Kolkata, you will go through different ranking systems for MBA programs. And all of which use different criteria to rate them; they combine information from corporate recruiters, alumni feedback and taking into consideration other factors like professional satisfaction and career trajectory. Remember rankings can be informative, but the final choice boils down to the final MBA program you will be selecting.

When students join a good B school, one of their primary concern is whether or not they will have good placement. If a business school has a tie-up with industry and is sending the students for an internship then the preparation for a placement interview is done. In fact, a business school’s internship reports and job profiles can reveal which industries are normally a big draw for students. Today’s interns are tomorrow’s leaders; opt for a B school which gives you the opportunity to shine in your career.

Go for a real-time approach

Among the many MBA colleges in Kolkata, there are quite a few B schools which have a proper internship program. An internship in the industry allows the students to analyze problems in real time. This is a kind of a drill before you enter the real world and the student is expected to come up with innovative solutions. Of course, one cannot undermine the knowledge and most importantly the experience gained during the internship days. They also give the student an edge to outperform his colleagues.

Build contacts which will further your network

When you intern in any of the reputed organizations, you are going to build a good network. Many students travel abroad during their internship days and make professional connections. An internship is a perfect opportunity to build contacts. This works positively when you apply for a job in the same organization or to a different company. Remember a good word from a senior can add value to your resume. It can also help you to get a good position in your favorite MNC. It’s important for you to interact with superiors and colleagues during the internship days.

Gives you the confidence to face the real world

All the top MBA colleges in Kolkata have industry tie-ups. When you intern in a big corporate world, this will boost your confidence. After you have interned with one of the big organizations, you will gradually get rid of anxiety and nervousness that is normally associated with your first job. Your internship days will give you a true feel of a company. You will face problems and will find solutions for all your problems. Your success rate will definitely escalate your pay package.

Whether you realize it or not, your LinkedIn profile is actually the foundation of your personal brand. Over the years, it has become a strong social media marketing tool and optimizing your LinkedIn profile to boost your credibility in unimaginable ways. It is a perfect platform to showcase one’s expertise, connect with like-minded professionals and grow business. Let us give you 4 ideas through which you can power up your personal brand.

Not networking; then not doing enough

With LinkedIn, it is possible to find professionals who are intricately associated with your business. LinkedIn can help you to expand your network, reach out to people who can help in building your personal brand and business. How can you reach out to these people? Share content which are related to the targeted network’s interest. Sharing relevant content will not only improve engagements strengthening the relationship with targeted audience.

Put in all the personal details

According to experts, profiles with headshots have enhanced chances of visibility than those without a profile picture. The headshot should be professional, clear and must include only you. If you have just started on LinkedIn, go through the images of your phone to find the right shot for the profile. Along with your picture, you should also ensure to include phone number, email, website and other professional details. Only Premium users can access LinkedIn InMail, so if you are keen to find the right contacts, then you can go for a Premium account as well.

Always tell a story

LinkedIn may be primarily a platform for professionals, but at the end of the day it is a social media channel. And to capture people’s attention storytelling is the best possible way. Remember hiring managers and recruiters are no different. They must be going through hundreds of profiles every day running into the same buzzwords and clichés. A little something which is out of the box is always going to work. A little bit of personal background story and you can capture the attention of the recruiters.

Ger endorsed by listing your skills

You can tag your skills in LinkedIn. You should select all the skill sets which are aligned with your personal brand. This is how recruiters connect with the candidates in LinkedIn; endorsements can also be collected from colleagues, friends and different professional contacts. In return, you can offer an endorsement or two as reciprocation is a good gesture.

Remember that hiring managers and recruiters literally live on LinkedIn. It is good to ensure that your LinkedIn profile conveys the message you intend to convey when you are on the hunt for a new job.

Big data is the combination of all the tools and processes which are related to utilize and manage large data sets. Big data was born out of the need to understand various preferences, trends and patterns in the huge database when people normally interact with various systems and with each other. You need to use analytics for Big Data in various organizations and figure out the most amazing customers. There is a requirement for businesses to create new services, experiences, and products.

Big Data can be used by many companies to outperform the competition. There are many industries where established competitors and new entrants use data-driven strategies to capture, compete and outperform and innovate. From IT to healthcare, each of the segment uses Big data to their advantage. Did you know that big data can analyze the data in entertainment and the insight drawn from it can be used to create a unique experience for the user. This is best seen in music streaming services that is available not only via crowd-sourced data as well as data from their libraries to create a suitable playlist.

Did you know that online retailers can use big data insights, send the personalized recommendations on purchased goods and save you the trouble to map out your preferences again. Big data technology also improves your shopping experience by ensuring that the supply chain works better and the products are received faster.

Have you ever noticed a pattern in the way the news stories flood our timelines? It is big data which determines the kind of stories that will appear in our timelines. It also informs the surface content for different social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. Now think about chatbots. They have become an integral part of our daily lives. It is big data which helps the chatbots to provide us with the information that we seek.

Now let’s come to gaming enthusiasts. In the course of a game, each player produces a large data stream which can provide valuable insights for his/her preferences. Most video game developers analyze this data to curate engaging and unique gaming experience for the users.

2018 has not been easy for Facebook and the current privacy issues faced by Facebook in the beginning of 2018 was just one of the many instances where the organization had to deal with privacy issues in its short existence. When the company was only 2 years old in 2006, the company had faced user outrage when the News Feed was introduced. And that was just the beginning. Facebook had a long history of running awry with regulators and fighting consistently with user anger. During this period, the company has collected record profits, racking up more than 2 billion users.

The worst thing that has come up from Mark Zuckerberg himself is that the social media site has been collecting data from non-users as well. According to him, this was done for security purposes which did not go well with both privacy advocates and lawmakers. For many this was invasion of privacy. Not many might be aware but Facebook gets its data about non-users from people in the network. This might happen when a user uploads the email address of a friend. Other sources of this information are the cookies which the site often install on the browsers of the non-users when they visit sites through Facebook ‘like’ and ‘share’ buttons. This can happen whether or not the user pushes the respective buttons.

Facebook has always maintained that it has always used browsing data to create analytics reports; they have often used information on site traffic to make these reports. But most people have criticized Zuckerberg as he has not explained thoroughly about the kind of data gathered and the extent of the data usage. The revelation of this information in the beginning of this year has turned up the heat on Facebook and Zuckerberg because the CEO has not been clear about the extent of data usage and has never amplified the reasons for tracking.

This entire process of extracting the personal information and data traits of the users in order to paint virtual targets has not gone down well with users. According to them, this has been done to increase user ‘engagement’ to justify the stock-market valuation of Facebook.

Next time when you use Facebook, can you really ensure that your data is protected and secured?

You can be the next Kim Kardashian. Read this again. And to top it all, you can even earn from your selfies from your Instagram account. Of course it is easier said than done. When you have one million followers in Instagram, it is easy to make money on Instagram. The vital question is here how do you make money from Instagram? You have many options. Think about the app Pay your Selfie which allows you to upload the selfies after doing some minor ‘selfie tasks’ as indicated in the app. Of course there is a reward; this is done in exchange of some pennies which is collected in a virtual piggy bank. This will add up to hard cash and once it reaches up to $20. You can either go for a cheque or simply donate the money in the bank.

The best thing about Pay your Selfie is that it is completely free and is available in both iOS and Google Play stores. It is easy to download and get it installed in your phone. The only thing is that you have to be more than 18 years to earn money from PayyourSelfie. Of course, in order to get your selfies approved, you just need to follow a few rules; you need to know what PayyourSelfie is exactly asking for. You cannot post an early morning selfie in washroom and expect to earn money from it. Is PayyourSelfie asking for it? If the answer is no, then there are chances that your selfie might get rejected.

Our digital culture has shifted where more and more people are encouraged to produce and share content with each other. Smartphones are getting more affordable and the number of people taking videos and photos has skyrocketed. Another app Selfllery has tried to change this entire scenario and reward people in a different manner in a secure and fast manner. This has become a rage among not-so professional photographers who are talented enough to create amazing and compelling content for the viewers.

If you have a hidden talent in taking good photographs or you are in the mood to take a selfie, maybe it is time to use one of these apps for your advantage.

You want to be your boss and start your own business, but don’t know where to start. You are not alone. In this phase of economic uncertainty, most people have realized that ‘perfect job’ does not exist. And others have realized that they would rather create ‘work’ which they love which will fit their own life goals. So, for all the would-be entrepreneurs, here are 3 small businesses which do not require any capital investment.

Do you know your city well?

If you are one of those people who is a bit of history buff, an adventure enthusiast and a constant seeker, then it is time to don the cap of a local guide. Most cities in the world boast of a group of people who organize different kinds of walks which allow a tourist to know a city better. You can create your own profile in the internet and in the initial days you can sign up with one of the companies which organize walking tours. And once you know the ropes, you can encourage returning visitors to come to you directly. If you know your city well, why not use it to start a business?

Are you a social media aficionado?

All kinds of business are looking for a good presence in social media and they need a bit of help in managing their social media presence. They will need someone to tweet regularly on Twitter and put up their posts on Facebook. These are mainly done to raise awareness about the brand and also to promote their service/product. If you already know to do this, you can use your knowledge to earn that extra money during college days. Refresh your knowledge with online tutorials and become a social media consultant. In the age of the internet, it is easy to contact everyone who is looking for this kind of service. The best thing about this business is that the startup expense is zero.

Are you good with the camera?

In order to be a professional photographer, you may need formal training and previous experience. But many world-famous photographers have started as amateurs and have learnt the various nuances of photography while they were at jobs. The crucial thing about photography is whether or not you have the sense to capture the perfect moment. You just need to figure out your genre; it can be portraits, holiday parties, babies, nature, model shoots. The possibilities are endless and you can start without any capital investment. Of course, you need to invest in a good camera.

The word ‘innovation’ is tossed around a lot in both technology and business circles and it is one of the buzzword in 2018. Fostering the culture of innovation is essential for any ambitious company which seeks long-term success and relevance. When it comes to innovative business models, these 5 companies have shown us that if there is a need, you can disrupt the status quo and revolutionize your business.

Netflix: The New-age Masters of Small Screen

Although Netflix began with its DVD mail service in 1999, it started generating original content in 2011. In 2017, they shifted their focus and started producing movies aiming to release more than 80 movies. Netflix is not interested to cater to a broad audience, rather it wants to retain its appeal in niche market and offer movies or shows to audience without which they can’t live without. In 2016, Netflix made a major upgrade in user interface where they replaced their static poster images with custom-created preview videos which will play automatically when you scroll on the title card.

Stitch Fix: One of the Impressive Start-ups of all times

Stitch Fix, an ecommerce subscription company has almost 2.2 million users where the users receive boxes or ‘fixes’ of accessories, clothing and shoes based on their personal style. Stitch Fix wants to be an alternative to digital baron Amazon by offering bespoke selection of clothes. In other words, everything Stitch Fix offers is opposed to fast clothing. In 2017, after the company went public, it was valued at $1.46 billion. Now the company has expanded its demographics and have also included sections for plus-sizes, men and premium brand options.

Rely on Reliance Jio

You have admit that Reliance has brought mobile revolution with India’s first 4g LTE network. To build a strong foundation of next-gen broadband infrastructure, the organization has come up with 100,000 new cell towers. One of their marketing techniques was providing data at price drop giving service free for the first six months. With their daring attitude, they asked Indians to shed their inhibition of using data. The risk was huge, but the bet paid off and Jio signed more than 150 million customers.

Are your images Insta-worthy?

This is a common lingo of the millennial generation, but it only shows that how much Instagram means to our lives. Although it started as a free mobile app meant for only iOS operating system, it has now evolved into a multi-platform network. Previously, one could only share images on Instagram. As the app garnered response among musicians, Instagram extended its video-sharing functionality so that users can add 60-second clips and also added its option for Snapchat-inspired Instagram stories.

Gucci adopts street-style fashion with élan

Gucci which is normally associated with high-street fashion has been undergoing a transformation. In 2015, the newly appointed CEO Marco Bizzarri and Creative Director Alessandro Michele have changed the look of the brand and made it more edgy, modern and embraced the street style fashion. It has relied on its social media platforms and collaborated with influencers and artists and styled Gucci products in a fresh way.

You have to agree that today’s consumers are simply spoilt for choices and at times it becomes difficult to distinguish from one brand from another. And when you are vying for the top spot in a competitive world, you need an edge. A celebrity can have immense influence on generating brand awareness and ensuring the success of a particular campaign of a specific product. Celebrity endorsement can be a successful advertisement strategy and can influence your purchasing decision. In India, a celebrity endorsement is a big thing and you will be surprised to know that there are quite a few names who have made it to Forbes List. Let’s find out about the few with the biggest endorsements in India.

Come to think of the brand value of Akshay Kumar, you will be surprised by how far the star has come. From an actor who leapt mid-air to confront the villains to some of the more substantial roles, Akshay Kumar is a brand to be reckoned with. And trade pundits believe that it is his humility which have made him one of the forerunners in the top brand endorsements in India. Kumar has apparently moved 4 places from 2017 list and ousted Salman Khan from his coveted position. The once-famous action star is known to have the highest endorsements in Bollywood currently and he seems to be endorsing everything from batteries to energy pills. Apart from his film earnings, he mints millions from backend profits and endorses some 20 different brands. No wonder, his endorsement fees per year amounts to 8 to 10 crores each year.

Closely following Akshay Kumar is Salman Khan, the Bharat star. His mainstay hits such as Tiger Zinda Hain has allowed him to cash on his backend profits. Salman Khan remains one of the nation’s top earners with brand endorsements like Suzuki motorcycles and Chlormint gum. Salman Khan is one of the few celebrities who has started promoting brands even before his rise to stardom. A regular face in TV commercials, Salman Khan apparently charges 3.5 to 5 crores a day for endorsement. And not to forget that he has successfully leveraged his celebrity status to enhance his own brand Being Human.

The Khans seem to have a supremacy everywhere; from Bollywood to celebrity endorsements, they seem to be reigning it in style. Although “Thugs of Hindostan’ is touted as one of the biggest flops of 2018, Mr. Perfectionist still maintains his charisma and his endorsements speak a lot about his suave nature. With any brand he takes up, he is just not the face of the brand, he apparently goes extensively through the marketing plans and gets into all the details before he commits to the brand. According to insiders, his deal with Snapdeal resulted in earnings of 30 crores. For each brand that he endorses, he charges 5-7 crores a day.

And if you thought that the world only revolves around the Khans, you have missed the glam divas of Bollywood. The glam divas are no less when it comes to their brand value. Take Deepika Padukone for instance. One of the highest paid actresses of recent times, Deepika has left her contemporaries far behind when it comes to brand endorsements. Apparently she charges a whopping 7.5 crores for every endorsement. The stunning lady is seen in ads of Parachute, Axis Bank, Vogue, Garnier, Lifestyle Melange.

They may not be the best of friends in Bollywood for reasons obvious, but Deepika’s contemporary Katrina Kaif seems to be on her toe when it comes to brand endorsements. Known as one of the bankable stars in Bollywood, Katrina Kaif can be seen in the ads of a number of important brands like Lux, Panasonic, Veet, Berger Paints, Titan Raga, LG to name a few. For each endorsement, she charges 5-6 crores per day.